Celebrated violinist Nicola Benedetti, two-time winner of Best Female Artist at the Classical BRITs, will return to the Royal Albert Hall this month.

Nicola is one of the most sought after and highly regarded classical musicians working today, and won universal acclaim for her most recent recording, Homecoming – A Scottish Fantasy. After studying at the Yehudi Menuhin school from the age of 10, she became widely known in 2004 as the winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. Since then, she has become one of the leading lights of the classical scene, recording for Decca Classics and playing rapturously received concerts around the globe.

In September 2013, Nicola presented the Benedetti Sessions at the Royal Albert Hall, holding a three-day masterclass for aspiring young string players as part of the venue’s education and outreach programme, followed by her Albert Sessions recital. Nicola was awarded an MBE in 2013 in recognition of both her outstanding international career and her work with musical charities, and recently became one of the youngest ever castaways on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs.

She has appeared at the Hall 17 times in total, most recently at the 2015 BBC Proms, with the Guardian calling her performance of Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony “a fine achievement”, and the Telegraph noting that most of the audience were there to see “one of the nation’s favourite fiddlers”. She will return to the iconic Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 27 September 2015.

Lucy Noble, Director of Events at the venue, said: “Nicola’s performance in 2013 was extraordinary, a masterclass in how to captivate an audience with a beautiful programme played to perfection. We are delighted to welcome her back to the Royal Albert Hall and are thrilled she will again be helping us to promote the very best in musical education with a day of innovative workshops.”

The Royal Albert Hall

The Royal Albert Hall is the world’s most famous stage. Over the past 144 years, it has hosted everyone from Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and Edward Elgar to The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Adele. Last year, its breathtaking auditorium presented 397 events by the world’s greatest performers – taking in rock, pop and classical music, dance, films, Cirque du Soleil and even tennis – with the magical setting and inspired artists creating amazing memories for audiences.

Opened in 1871 to fulfil Prince Albert’s vision of a central hall to promote the arts and sciences, the Hall is a registered charity that remains true to his founding ambitions within a modern context. It hosts over 400 events a year in its secondary space, the Elgar Room, and beyond, broadening the Hall’s appeal to incorporate younger and more diverse audiences.

Its Education & Outreach programme reaches more than 100,000 participants each year, working with schools, young people and the community, as well as other charities such as Music for Youth, as part of its extensive public benefit remit.

For more information:
www.royalalberthall.com
Registered charity no: 254543